Bank fixture



March 16 1926.

C. A. HONSINGER BANK FIXTURE Filed April 24, 1925 Patented Mar. 16, 1926.

UNITED STATES CHARLES A. HONSINGER, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

BANK FIXTURE.

Application filed April 24, 1925.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES A. HON- SINGER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bank Fixtures, of which the following ,is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to a bank fixture adapted to be'placed in bullet proof partitions to permit of communication being established from one side of the partition to the other and a fire arm manipulated in the fixture.

My invention aims to protect the lives of bank oificials and clerks by providing bullet proof transparent partitions and in order that a bank customer and bank clerk may carry on a conversation through such partitions a speaking tube device is mounted in the partition, said device including baffle members which will prevent the passage of bullets or other projectiles through the speaking tube. Adjacent the speaking tube is a one-way trap door adapted to be actuated by a re arm in the hands of a bank clerk and the trap door is inoperative by a bandit or other person outside of the partition, but permits of a bank clerk aiming a fire arm in different directions with a view of injuring the bandit or preventing his escape.

The construction of my device Wlll be hereinafter specifically described and then claimed, and reference will now be had to the drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a front elevation of the device;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same mounted in a partition or bank fixture' Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the device;

Fig.4 is a rear elevation of a portion of the device showing the trap door;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view of the same showing a fire arm holding the trap door in an open position; A

Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view of a portion of the trap door-illustrating the manner in which a fire arm has a wide range of action, and

Fig. 7 is an elevation of a modified form of tra door.

In t e drawing, the reference numeral 1 denotes a partition, wall or other bank fix- Serial No. 25,568.

him which may be made of thick transparent bullet proof glass. The partition is provided with an oblong opening 2 and it is in this opening that I mount my device for establishing communication between both sides of the partition.

The device comprises a front plate 3 having a trap door opening 4 adjacent its upper end and an inwardly projecting speaking tube 5, adjacent its lower end. This front plate fits against the outer side of the partition 1 and may be provided with an escutcheon plate 6 lending a degree of ornamentation to the device. Attached to the inner face of the front plate 3, by spot welding or any suitable means is a connecting plate 7 and attached to the connecting plate 7, by screws or other fastening means 8 is a rear plate 9 which fits against the inner face of the partition 1 about the opening 2 thereof and cooperates with'the lates 3 and 7 in holding the device firmly in the partition opening 2.

The connecting plate '2 is arranged about the trap door opening 4 and pivotally mounted in the trap door opening 4, is an outwardly swinging trap door 10.having pintles or other pivotal means 11 supporting the lower edge of the door in the lower edges of the opening 4 so that said trap doop may be, swung bodily outwardly. The connecting :plate 7 has a transverse spring support 12 for the coiled portions 13 of a sprin 14," said spring having a portion thereo attached to the connecting plate 7 by a screw 15 or other. fastening means and the ends 16 of said spring extend under a cleat 17 attached to the inner face of the trap door 10. The tension of the spring is adapted to hold the trap door normally closed against opening walls 18 of the connecting plate, so that the outer face of the trap door will be flush with the outer face of the front plate 3. lVith the trap door neatly fitting in the opening 4 it will be impossible for an outsider to open the door 10 and the connecting plate 7 prevents the trap "door from being forced inwardly. This arrangement, however, does not revent a bank clerk or person at the inner side of the partition 1 from forcing the door. 10 out wardly and open .and this may be accomplished by the barrel 19 of a fire arm. It is only necessary to forcibly place the muzzle of the barrel 19 against the upper portion of the trap door 10 and as the door is forced open the barrel 9 will ride on to the upper edge of the open trap door, as shown in Fig. 5, and may be swung in various directions, as indicated in Fig. 6, thus ermitting of a wide range of action for the re arm.

To facilitate quickly opening the trap door 10 by the barrel 19 the rear plate 9 is formed with somewhat of a funnel shaped guide 20 extending in proximity to the inner face of the trap door 10.

The rear plate 9 has an openin 21 communicating with the speakin tu e 5 and disposed parallel to the rear. p ate are apertured has members 22 and 23 spaced apart by sleeves 24 and connected to lugs 25 of the rear plate 9 by screws 26 or other fastening means. The apertures of the battle member 22 are staggered with relation to the apertures of the baffle plate 23 so that an outsider cannot successfully manipulate a fire arm in the speaking tube. The baflle members do not interfere with the voice passing either way through the speaking tube, and lend a degree of protection to any bank clerk adjacent the device.

Instead of pivotally mounting the trap door 10, a sliding door 27 may be employed and guided by screws 28 with springs 29 attached to the screws for supporting the slide trap door in a raised or closed position relative to an opening 30. The upper edge of the slide trap door may be provided with a latch or actuating member 31 that may be struck by the barrel 1%) of the fire arm to open the trap door and permit of the barrel being rejected through the opening 30. I have tiought of other ways of arranging the tra door to be operatable from the inner side 0 the bank partition or fixture and non-operative by bandits or persons outside of the partition. It is believed, however, that apivoted trap door affords a quick action on the part of a bank clerk as the fire arm barrel may be brought to an aiming position and rojccted a must the trap door to be immediately disc arged on opening the door. The transparent partition contributes to a successful manipulation and discharge of the fire arm through the device which afiords a gun port that me. permit of a bandit being ki ed by a ba clerk or detained until captured.

Bank fixtures now installed have the device arranged at windows where bank customers are served, the device being placed at a convenient distance above the counter and used in connection with my deal plate the ot tweets or bank safety device, disclosed in Patent No. 1,460,584, dated July 3, 1923. It is also used at other places throughout the bank fixtures Where communication is to be established from one side of the fixture to the other side, and while in the drawing there is illustrated the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that the structural elements are susceptible to such variations and modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is l. The combination with a partition having an opening, of plates clamped against said partition at the opening thereof, a speaking tube carried by one of said plates and extending into the partition opening, an outwardly opening trap door supported by the same plate, and baffie members carried by the other of said plates at said speaking tube.

2. The combination called for in claim 1, and means between said plates adapted to hold said trap door normally closed.

The combination called for in claim 1, and a guide carried by the last mentioned plate and extending in proximity to the inner side of said trap door.

4. The combination with a partition having an opening, a front plate, a rear plate, and a connecting plate in the partition 0 ening connecting said front and rear p ates, a speaking tube carried by the front plate, and bafie members carried by the rear plate at the inner end of said speaking tube.

5. The combination called for in claim a, and a normally closed outwardly opening trap door carried by said front plate.

6. The combination called for in claim 4, and a normally closed outwardl opening trap door carried by said front p ate and a gun barrel guide carried by the rear plate and extending in proximity to said trap door.

7. The combination with a partition having an opening, of plates carried by said partition at the openin thereof, a speaking tube carried by one or said plates and extending into the partition opening, an out wardly opening trap door supported by the same plate, and bafie members carried by er of said plates at said speaking tube.

In testimony whereof I a my signature.

Mill

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